As A Different World continues to draw more viewers after its premiere last Thursday, a widespread conversation about Shaquille and Deborah's breakup in episode 6 has sparked on social media. The pair ultimately called it quits after Deborah admitted she kissed her tutor, Ellington, after not being fully honest about how close they were when Shaquille asked about him around final exam season. Shaquille didn't take the news well.

He ultimately chastises her for her actions, and then, after they leave, he has an intimate interaction with Candace, Deborah's RA in Gilbert Hall. Much of the breakup conversation centers on Shaquille as the culprit. Much of the discourse focuses on him ultimately forming a romantic connection with Candace, not Deborah's actions.

Deborah caused the drama; let's call it out

Episode 6, entitled “Insomnia and the Daydreamer,” was written by Des Moran and Ashley Laverne Jackson. Jackson is a Spelman College alumna and the daughter of Reverend Jesse Jackson. In my view, Moran and Jackson seem to give viewers permission to see Deborah as the person at fault in their breakup. The episode's composition shows this.

Throughout the episode, Deborah daydreams about intimate encounters with Ellington, even though she is dating Shaquille. Although she boldly told her parents she wanted to date Shaquille, and they couldn't stop her, she still clearly had feelings for Ellington, as she showed in her conversation with her mother in her dorm room. It seemed that despite her being physically present with Shaquille, both in the club and in other encounters, her mind was on Ellington.

Meanwhile, Shaquille's connection with Candace was the opposite. Ever since the students sheltered in place at The Pitt during the bomb threat, Candace appeared to be making romantic passes at Shaquille, which he wasn't reciprocating. While they did form a brief friendship because they were both student athletes and worked out, Shaquille clearly wanted to stay serious with Deborah and build on their newly reformed connection.

Deborah is who ultimately betrayed Shaquille in that moment. Even if she didn't initiate the kiss with Ellington, she admitted she didn't push him away either. She also kept thinking about him and spoke glowingly of him to Whitley, in contrast to Shaquille. Honesty can't stop Shaquille from being upset, especially since it's presumed that the bora in Ellington's kiss happened a month before their conversation, in the final days of the first semester.

Shaquille had every right to be mad

Shaquille's response to Deborah's admission was perfectly normal, and he had every right to be mad. We saw how much Shaquille cared about Deborah up to this point. While they had issues leading up to their reunion at Hillman, it seemed like he tried to be the perfect boyfriend for her, and Deborah never seemed to appreciate it. She didn't appreciate his courtship during the first semester, and she didn't truly appreciate the bond they locked in at the end of the semester, leading into the second semester.

Article Continues Below

Shaquille was certainly mad, but he was also hurt, which led him to build his connection with Candace and ultimately to their romantic encounter. While Shaquille kept it respectful, Candace consistently tried to flirt with him and send signals that she was interested, and Shaquille clearly knew he could take things to the next level with her whenever he wanted. That's why, immediately after his falling out with Deborah, he went over to Candace's room.

The one thing I will call Shaquille out for is that I firmly believe he should have gone back to his room and processed what happened before trying to either contact Deborah again or link up with Candace. He clearly was in his emotions and needed to cool down. His emotional acting is why he woke up at the end of episode 6 and ultimately felt so bad about what he did.

Candace was only wrong for one reason

I don't think Candace was wrong for ultimately having a consistent romantic encounter with Shaquille. At that point, Shaquille was clearly single, but if Candace was wrong for one thing, it was how aggressively she was pursuing a man in a committed relationship. Rubbing Shaquille's arm while the students were sheltering in the pit during the bomb threat was totally uncalled for, and it set Deborah's antennae up for a good reason.

Her being flirtatious toward Shaquille during that scene in the gym in episode 6, before Ron came in to speak to Shaquille, was also wrong and unbecoming of someone as popping as Candace. Also, her flirtatiousness toward Shaquille during that scene in the gym in episode 6, before Ron came in to speak to Shaquille, was also wrong and unbecoming of someone as popping as Candace. Candace can feasibly get any guy she wants on campus and is popping in her own right. Why was she going so aggressively at Deborah's man?

While Candace didn't make Shaquille do what he did that night, nor did she cause the breakup between Deborah and Shaquille, she has her place in the mess that fermented between them. While Candace didn't make Shaquille do what he did that night, nor did she cause the breakup between Deborah and Shaquille, she has her place in the mess that fermented between them.